Father Meets Son in Solo Leveling

by

This post contains SPOILERS for Solo Leveling anime and the Manhwa series.

Summary

  • Sung II-Hwan returns to Earth to observe his son, Jinwoo, and ensure his survival.
  • II-Hwan fights Monarchs to protect Jinwoo and eventually sacrifices himself.
  • Jinwoo briefly reunites with his father before II-Hwan’s death, leaving fans emotional.

The series Solo Leveling boasts a variety of enigmatic and formidable characters, both Hunters and Monsters. Though most fans have been captivated by Sung Jinwoo’s development, the storyline has also introduced an exceptionally strong Hunter, who currently outmatches our protagonist in terms of power, as portrayed within the anime so far.

Discussion centers around Sung II-Hwan, long thought absent from the world, who is revealed to be the estranged father of Sung Jinwoo. After years out of sight, II-Hwan resurfaces on Earth following a strange portal’s emergence in America. At present, Jinwoo remains oblivious to his father’s return, leaving readers of the Manhwa intrigued about the possibility of their reunion.

Sung II-Hwan Stays In The Shadows To Observe His Son

He Wants To Make Sure That Jinwoo Survives

Ashborn never openly supported the Rulers, leading them to believe that Ashborn’s physical form would align with the Monarchs. Consequently, upon choosing Sung II-Hwan as their vessel, the Rulers instructed the Hunter to entomb Ashborn’s vessel beneath the earth. The primary cause of Sung II-Hwan’s return after such a long time is this directive. As soon as he arrived back on Earth, II-Hwan used his powerful abilities to disgrace Hwang Dongsoo due to the latter demonstrating malicious intentions towards Jinwoo.

In a short while, II-Hwan discovers that the individual he was instructed to eliminate by the Authorities is his own child. This revelation could have been fatal for him, but luckily, the Authorities began viewing Jinwoo as an ally rather than an adversary. As a result, they amended their commands to Sung II-Hwan – under all circumstances, protect Jinwoo’s life.

You should never step foot in Korea,” Sung Il-Hwan tells Hwang Dongsoo, “It’s not because of my son, but for your own good. You won’t find peace, even after death.

As Jinwoo battled formidable foes across the globe, II-Hwan watched over his son from afar. While Jinwoo was making a mark on the world, II-Hwan faced off against powerful rulers such as Sillad. Despite putting up a valiant effort, the Frost Monarch proved to be more than Jinwoo could handle alone, prompting II-Hwan to flee the scene.

II-Hwan refrained from meeting his son because of the regret he felt over leaving him on his own for so long. At the same time, he recognized that learning about his existence might divert Jinwoo. Recognizing the challenges that awaited Jinwoo in the future, II-Hwan wished his son to grow stronger as swiftly as possible. However, it was also clear to him that Jinwoo shouldn’t be completely unaware of his father’s reappearance in the world.

Jinwoo Meets His Father During The Monarchs War Arc In Solo Leveling

The Father-Son Duo Doesn’t Stay United For Long

For quite some time, Jinwoo remains oblivious to the truth that his father is alive and has come back to Earth. However, this situation shifts when the Hunters Bureau accuses II-Hwan of the murder of Christopher Reed, a high-ranking American Hunter known as an S-Rank. The trio responsible for Reed’s death were Tarnak, Rakan, and Querehsha, who are Monarchs. Yet, the magical residue at the crime scene resembled that of II-Hwan. Since the world was unaware of the Monarchs’ existence back then, the Bureau labeled II-Hwan as a suspect in Reed’s death.

Sung Jinwoo And Sung II-Hwan’s Reunion in Solo Leveling
Manhwa Chapter 166
Anime Season 3 (Expected)

The death of a prominent hunter wasn’t just a minor incident, it sparked widespread news and eventually drew Jinwoo’s attention. It was then that Jinwoo discovered his father was still alive. However, their reunion didn’t occur until the Monarchs War Arc, when Sillad, Rakan, and Querehsha tried to kill Jinwoo. Although he was weaker than the Monarchs, Jinwoo managed to defeat Querehsha on his own, but Rakan ended up killing him. In an attempt to resurrect Jinwoo, Ashborn granted him the powers of the Shadow Monarch. Before Jinwoo could regain consciousness, however, Rakan was poised to strike again.

Thankfully, II-Hwan managed to intervene and halt Rakan and Querehsha’s actions. Engaging in a fierce battle with the Monarch duo, II-Hwan endured severe wounds that seemed fatal. In fact, his ferocity during the fight forced Rakan to retreat. II-Hwan expected to perish at Sillad’s hands, but Jinwoo stepped in just in time and vanquished the two Monarchs. While II-Hwan escaped, he knew that his son was strong enough to handle the danger. Sadly, however, due to his injuries, II-Hwan’s body began disintegrating, signaling an unavoidable death. Alone in his final moments, he prepared for his end. But then, Jinwoo appeared near II-Hwan after defeating the Monarchs and approached his father, whom he hadn’t seen in years.

Just before his final moments, II-Hwan shares with his son all details about his disappearance. In the end, he expresses both remorse for leaving his family alone and pride in his son’s transformation into a formidable warrior of humanity. Readers of Solo Leveling had eagerly anticipated the father-son reunion, but it was tragically brief. The moments they spent together were touching, yet many felt let down as the reunion was heavily teased earlier in the series. Nonetheless, even this short encounter is bound to stir strong emotions among those who only know the story from the anime when it finally unfolds in the third season.

Read More

2025-03-22 21:26